LOCATION – HISTORY – PEOPLE – CUISINE
Located at Lido di Marzocca in Senigallia (Ancona, Le Marche), on a beach about 6 km south of the city center, the restaurant is right on the seafront, only 10 meters from the sand, in front of the statue of the Madonna del Pescatore.
Moreno Cedroni (Senigallia, 1964) is a chef renowned for over two decades for aging fish in a chamber (with recent studies on the evolution of histamine), but especially for his fish salumi using all parts of these animals such as the head, liver, or fat, which can be enjoyed both at Madonnina and at Anikò (“Tutte le cose” in the Senigallia dialect), an informal terrace opened in 2003 in the center of Senigallia, which he claims is the world’s first fish delicatessen. Additionally, Cedroni is also known for having Italianized sushi, creating the famous “susci” offered at Clandestino (in the Bay of Portonovo, about 50 km south of Senigallia).
Cedroni offers a cuisine with different lines of execution: fish charcuterie, fish aging, recipes from Le Marche, and Bullinian techniques. In fact, in 1992, although it was a very early version of Bulli, Cedroni worked there. Despite the proximity and potential resemblance between Uliassi and Cedroni, their cuisines are nothing alike. Even though both are from the same generation, the same town, with quite parallel culinary evolutions, both known for fish (one aging it and the other offering it fresh) and both adding Bullinian touches to their dishes, Moreno’s cuisine seems to have more narrative, less balance, less precision, and often rougher than that of Uliassi.
Opened in 1984, Madonnina del Pescatore is a restaurant with eye-catching décor, featuring a continuous red flooring and slightly kitsch ornamental details.
THE MEAL
They offer 3 tasting menus: “Luca e Moreno… Segnali di fumo” (Luca for Luca Abbadir, the head chef of the restaurant), “Mariella” (for Mariella Organi, Moreno’s wife), and “Ricordi d’infanzia,” to which, if desired, a dish from the other menus can be added. They also give the option to eat à la carte by choosing dishes from any of the menus.
We had the “Luca e Moreno… Segnali di fumo” menu and added 3 dishes and an appetizer (although we ended up eating it as dessert). Below we describe the meal. In total, we ate 20 “dishes”.
APPETIZERS
Starfish with a pleasantly spicy clam sauce and a mezcal cocktail
An appetizer that Moreno personally presents and explains as a dish inspired by memories from his childhood when he would find lots of scallop shells on the beach, shells that are no longer found today. It consists of a very delicate dough, fried in oil and stuffed with a delicious sauce made from canned tomatoes, clams, and a bit of hot pepper giving it a slightly spicy touch. Topped with grilled parsley dust. Accompanied by a mezcal-based margarita cocktail served in a wine glass. Very good, both the cocktail and everything else. Very delicate (it easily broke apart), served warm and the tomato inside, very tasty and fresh.
Aged Fish and Margarita Cocktail
The first of the three dishes I wanted to add.
I was surprised that they served it so early in the meal, before the other three appetizers even. Since it’s a dish that is served first of all (as the first appetizer) from the Mariella menu and with the margarita, perhaps they take advantage of us still having the cocktail to serve it now.
Moreno Cedroni himself appears at the table with a tray full of fish charcuterie and another tray with several bowls full of sauces and condiments. He himself explains, in a calm and discreet manner, what he has been researching about fish for the last 20 years of his life.
Next, he will explain and serve twelve slices of his famous aged fish charcuterie. All the fillets are salted, cured for 20-30-40 days, lightly cold-smoked (except for the swordfish which is smoked at 95ºC), and come from fish (mostly from the Adriatic, except for the tuna which comes from the Mediterranean or the Atlantic, and the oceanic shark which comes from the South Pacific) aged in a chamber.
Tuna with Fermented Purple Cabbage Powder
A piece of tuna aged for 12 days, which in front of the diner, they dust with purple cabbage (red cabbage) powder that they make themselves by drying the vegetable. A slice of tuna that looked more like a vegetable than an animal.
Coppa di Testa di Cernia e Ricciola
A charcuterie made from the head of grouper and amberjack, prepared as if it were a coppa, a pork salami; with wild fennel and a few drops of olive oil with mandarin and olive oil with wild fennel.
Umbrina e Olio al Limone (third slice, the lightest and most elongated, starting from left to right and from top to bottom)
They use the loin of croaker. They salt the skinless fillets for about 30 minutes and age them between 1 week and 20 days flat in the fridge/chamber. In front of the diner, they add a few drops of lemon olive oil to the slice of croaker. A bit too smoky for my taste.
Bresaola di Tonno (third slice, the dark one, starting from left to right and from bottom to top)
A slice of tuna loin cured as if it were bresaola, with a few drops of olive oil added at the table.
Lardo di Moro Oceanico or Chilean Sea Bass (Dissostichus eleginoides) (the 5th slice from left to right and from bottom to top, white in color and beneath the “Ricciola, Soy and Honey”)
A fish that lives in sub-Antarctic waters, very cold and deep. It’s a very fatty fish of about 30 kg, feeding on crustaceans and said to have a taste of coconut. It was explained that it’s a fish he first ate 25 years ago in London and is one of the most protected in the world. In this case, it came from the South Pacific. They salt and cure it for a few hours; then, they age it for 20 days “breaded” with the herbs and spices used for making pork lardo; and finally, they smoke it. It smelled like meat fat! Delicious!
Ricciola, Soy and Honey (the 6th slice from left to right and from bottom to top)
A slice of amberjack loin marinated in soy and honey. A very reddish color. Very tasty and quite distinct in flavor.
Mortadella di Spada, Cuttlefish, and Sea Fennel (maritime fennel) (the first round slice with the fennel leaf on top)
A type of mortadella the size of a thin sausage made with swordfish, cuttlefish, and pine nuts, cooked for 20 minutes at 80ºC. Topped with sea fennel leaves. The fennel is not overpowering, but it’s tender and delicious!
Swordfish and Mustard Sauce (the elongated slice with a drop of sauce)
A slice of swordfish loin with a few drops of a very white mustard.
Pancia di Ricciola in Porchetta (the elongated slice from bottom right)
A slice of amberjack belly prepared with wild fennel and rosemary, like a porchetta.
Pancia di Ricciola e Gusto Speck (the middle elongated slice, furthest to the right)
Another slice of amberjack belly made with juniper and white pepper, as if it were speck.
Salsiccia di Orata with Paprika, Oregano, and White Pepper (the round red slice at the top of the plate)
A gilthead bream sausage with red pepper, oregano, and white pepper. Cured for 2 months. What a color! Blindfolded, it would be hard to tell it’s fish. Delicious, it tastes like chorizo.
Ventresca di Tonno e Grani di Senape (the elongated slice at the top right)
A tuna belly that has been salted for 2 months (but not too much salt because otherwise the fat turns rancid like that of a ham). At the table, it is dressed with a few drops of a coarse-grained mustard, said to complement the fatty part of the belly.
In summary, all the charcuterie is so well-crafted! What a difference compared to all those we had eaten so far, both at Dos Pebrots and even at Aponiente, for example. The good technical execution and the final result are surprisingly positive, balanced and elegant, without forgetting that they are still charcuterie. None were chewy, overly smoked, or too salty. Additionally, there is a good variety of fish (some 100% and others mixed) and all have very different preparations and flavors. A dish with more than 10 minutes of explanations that, even though they leave the script with the name of each fish, is still complex and difficult to remember such a quantity of information. The illuminated screen where they serve it is also appreciated as it really helps to clearly see the cut of the fish, its structure, and its color.
King Crab Stuffed Fish-Shaped Waffle
A waffle dough (with flour, egg, and butter) shaped like a fish and stuffed with king crab and celery (raw and crunchy). Served hot. The filling was good, but personally, I’m not a fan of this type of dough which was also slightly undercooked inside. Too much bread to start the meal. Alongside, a small bowl with a yuzu, soy, and basil extract sauce. An acidic sauce that might remind one of a type of Japanese mustard.
Crostino of Tuna Belly and Diaphragm, Traces of Caviar
A very thin toasted slice of dry bread with burrata, tuna belly (salted for 4 months), beef skirt (sautéed and cooked shabu-shabu style), summer truffle, and a bit of caviar. The first scent seems of some citrus and the truffle smells of dampness. It’s said to contain burrata but seems more like butter or cream. It’s good but again, I think it’s a start to the meal with too much bread and fat for the delicacy expected at a restaurant of this caliber. Nevertheless, it’s delicious.
Ricordo di un viaggio in Vietnam: Grilled Oyster Eat and Drink, Purple Cabbage, Apple
Mariella explains that this is a dish inspired by a trip Moreno made to Vietnam in 2016 where he ate at street stalls, and he particularly remembers a grilled oyster to which they later added lime juice and chili. In this case, it’s an oyster from Ireland grilled and also with lime juice and chili, but also with added parsley extract, apple marinated in miso, and purple cabbage cream (red cabbage). A dish that, as the title suggests, is enjoyable to eat as well as to drink. A warm oyster, with a slight buttery note and a bit of spiciness.
A slice of bread and a grissino from Molino Mariani of Senigallia. A decent bread, nothing more, with fermentation starting at room temperature and then moved to 25°C in a chamber.
DISHES
Ceviche di Ricciola, Sweet Potato and Sweet and Sour Onion, “Leche de Tigre” with Traces of Honey
A ceviche of amberjack aged for 5 days and then marinated in tiger’s milk. At the base, a puree of potato, celery, sweet and sour onion, and a type of puffed quinoa. A dish served in a bowl that they make themselves using a beeswax mold. Although this dishware is not edible, it smells of honey and can be easily chewed. I would have preferred it colder. A rather optional dish. Additionally, the freeze-dried potato and lime garnish that we were supposed to crumble over the dish like Parmesan was soggy and did not crumble.
Carrot, Mussel Mayo, Goose Barnacle Foot, and Purple Cabbage Powder
A carrot cooked in quicklime, topped with syrup, mussel mayo (Mytilus galloprovincialis, wild mussels from the Bay of Portonovo, on the rugged Conero Riviera, only harvestable by divers from April to October), bits of goose barnacle, and purple cabbage powder (red cabbage). The carrot had a good texture, softer than crunchy and was served warm. The green arugula and spinach sauce that decorates the dish with the green leaves was not noticeable. The taste of the barnacle was also quite mild. A very aesthetic dish that, while different, reminded us of Niederkofler’s BBQ carrot.
Cannellone di Capasanta Stuffed with Smoked Pumpkin, Sesame Milk, Cashew Sauce
A cannelloni with a curious dough, made from potato starch and scallop, filled with smoked pumpkin cream and dressed with a cashew cream, wasabi, ponzu sauce, and sesame mayonnaise. The texture of the scallop and potato starch cannelloni was superb. The smoked pumpkin and wasabi were nearly imperceptible. A very friendly and pleasant dish. Delicious, one of the best on the menu.
Brodetto alla Senigalliese “Inside,” Parsley Oil
The second of the three dishes I wanted to add. At the base, a brodetto sauce (made with the typical crustaceans of the recipe and canned tomato, a preserve they produce themselves), a green parsley sauce, and a mayonnaise made with the heads of prawns, crayfish, and crabs. The raw fish cubes are from monkfish, mazzola or gurnard, that is, some type of ray-finned fish. On top, fermented carrot over the brodetto sauce (more like beetroot).
The “inside” is served separately. A brioche sphere the size of a bomb (croquette) cooked in a Danish pan with semi-spherical molds that, before sealing, they stuff with cuttlefish, crayfish, mantis shrimp, and prawns. The idea is to bite the brioche and then dip it into the sauces on the plate.
I was getting suspicious. So much explanation and it neither smelled nor tasted of fish. Moreover, the dough was undercooked and tasted only of butter. I wonder where the tradition is; it must be a modern version of fish broth. I’m left wanting a good brodetto.
Conchiglie “Verrigni” in Smoked Broth, Cocochas, Cod, Chickpeas, and Parsnip, Sichuan Pepper
A pasta from Verrigni (an excellent pasta maker from Roseto degli Abruzzi) shaped like a shell and similar to those that are boiled in water for 9 minutes and the last 3 minutes in a smoked tomato peel broth. With a sauce made with parsnip, chickpeas, and mountain celery leaves (or the leaves of a mountain celery). There are also chickpeas; another sauce of wasabi and smoked sour butter; and a red pepper powder. A superb dish! The pasta al dente, warm; although it was cooked in a smoked broth, it did not taste as smoky as that of Uliassi. A very aromatic and tasty, friendly dish. Acidity and citrus.
Moro Oceanico, Grilled and Oliocottura, Sorrel Sauce, Daikon, and Seaside Herbs
What a fish!!! Moro Oceanico or Chilean sea bass (Dissostichus eleginoides), also found to be called Canary hake or head hake. In this case, the fish was fresh, without aging. Cooked on the grill (on a Kamado with charcoal) and then passed through a pan where they perform oliocottura, a kind of confit (with oil and/or butter) to preserve the soft texture of the fish. With a sauce made from woodland sorrel bread; and with pieces of daikon cooked with coconut milk. I repeat, what a fish! It was not the belly part but it seemed so because of its soft texture and a sweet (friendly) buttery firmness I had never found in a fish. And the taste? It tasted like beef fat, as if it were marrow of beef on the grill. Soft and firm at the same time. How pleasant! Delicious. A dish that easily remains in the memory.
Costoletta di Rombo, Field Herb Sauce, Tripe, and “Fegatello” of Monkfish Tail
The third of the three dishes I wanted to add. A turbot aged 10 days. The loin, breaded with breadcrumbs and parsley and grilled, well hydrated and quite tasty. The central spine part (which they call “the chop”) served with aluminum foil to eat with the hands and not get dirty, which I find necessary, I find it necessary to grab certain parts with the hands to be able to fully enjoy any fish. The skin of the turbot, fried, did not taste like fish skin and only a piece was served. The light green arugula sauce was better than the other dark parsley one. The white sauce, a very mild yuzu mayonnaise, was quite bland. There was also tripe and liver, both from monkfish; diced daikon; and finally, mandarin mustard. They don’t know how to do fish: what a mess (fry-up), oily and floury, with a taste of artificial grill.
Quaglia ai Carboni, Jerusalem Artichoke Hazelnut Sauce, Soy Ginger and Honey
A farm-raised quail from Italy, aged between 7 and 10 days in a chamber, at The Tunnel, their research laboratory, a small garage located a couple of houses from the restaurant. Fried on the breast side, left at constant temperature to cook through to the core and then grilled. Served with a cream of nyàmera and rose, hazelnuts, fermented papaya, and a sauce of green Chartreuse and mushrooms.
The second part is the carcass marinated with soy and ginger and the thigh lightly covered with honey during cooking.
An oily and quite rough quail (it reminded me of Alkostat’s cubist chicken). The taste of the grill was excessive, the hazelnut quite spicy, and both the nyàmera and the ginger quite imperceptible.
Theoretically, this dish is served in two services, but they must have been in a hurry because they served it at the same time, preventing us from eating the quail hot. Moreover, the plate on which they serve it is a kind of puzzle that comes apart making it very difficult to cut the bird calmly.
DESSERTS
Corto Maltese
A dessert in honor of the comic series and the fictional character created by Venetian artist Hugo Pratt in 1967. Using a ganache made from Belizean chocolate with apricot powder and yogurt and with the help of a stencil, they create this design that you must eat by licking your finger. The chocolate was good. They put aluminum foil on the poor turbot so you don’t get your hands dirty, and now they make you eat melted chocolate by licking your fingers. It’s quite ridiculous; or at least, absurd.
Chocolate, Sea Urchins, and Tangerine Granita
At the bottom, Itakuja 55% double fermentation dark chocolate with passion fruit pulp. Then, a sea urchin cream. On top: a passion fruit granita. There are also bits of cocoa bean. Chocolate with sea urchins, a curious and very good combination. Creamy and tasty spoonfuls.
Tarte di Obulato with Purple Potato Spaghetti
A memory of the trip to Japan by their sous-chef, Luca Abbadir. A tart made from shortcrust pastry with obulato (potato starch and soy lecithin) filled with a sweet potato puree, a currant sauce, almond ice cream, and purple potato spaghetti; accompanied by Maldon salt, a white powder, and spicy lime. Very good, it was interesting to try obulato with a shortcrust pastry texture and not made in the microwave like we eat at Disfrutar. Overall, it had a pasty texture; often it seems a pejorative adjective and a texture that is tried to be avoided but the whole set was very good.
L’Anfora Dolce
An amphora full of oriental and Mediterranean flavors. At the base: panna cotta and granadilla (the fruit of the passionflower). Then, an ice cream they call “Malaga” made from Ruby Porto and Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria) and a sake granita. Finally, a bit of Laphroaig, gelatin, pea leaf, and plankton powder. It doesn’t smell of anything but has a lot of taste and many different textures (ice cream, a kind of mochi, panna cotta that seems like a vanilla curd, gelatin, granita, liquid, flowers, powder…). It reminded us of the Nemo fish tank served at Club Allard during Diego Guerrero’s time. I think served in a bowl it would shine more and be more comfortable to eat than from within the amphora, but it was very good.
Parmesan Ice Cream
A tribute to Ferran Adrià, usually served as an appetizer and which we expected at the start of the meal, but since it was not served, mid-menu we asked if it could be brought as dessert or as a pre-dessert, whenever they saw fit. Although it wasn’t quite the right moment, it was delicious. The white cream inside does not taste of Parmesan; they say it is a lime and pineapple jam but it was very neutral. The Parmesan flavor is in the crunchy part. Eating Parmesan, even though it is ice cream, reminded me of the Parmesan soufflés at Disfrutar that are normally served at the start of the meal, but which once were served for dessert and I also didn’t find it appropriate.
Sweet Tribute
The petits fours are a tribute to what they consider the 5 great chefs of the world:
Virgilio Martínez from Central (Peru): a pisco gelatin with herbs from his garden.
Ángel León from Aponiente (Spain): a white chocolate bonbon with plankton powder.
Nadia Santini from Dal Pescatore (Italy), famous for her pumpkin tortelli: a bonbon based on a ganache of fermented pumpkin, sugar, white chocolate ice cream, and cream with a dusting of tangerine on top.
René Redzepi from Noma (Denmark): a bonbon of orange, fermented mushrooms, and dark chocolate.
Paul Pairet from Ultraviolet (China): a purple-colored bonbon, as the name of the restaurant suggests, a crunchy gelatin made from freeze-dried raspberries, green tea, sakura (cherry blossom), and pepper.
A good nibble, all 5 were disastrously executed. A dish full of simplifications and clichés. As happens so often, it seems that anything goes with petits fours.
Herb Gel with Gianduja Cube
A sorbet of herbs from their garden (geranium, juniper, and sage), with black pepper and gin.
A gianduja chocolate bonbon.
THE DINING ROOM
The dining room, managed by Mariella Organi, Moreno’s wife, exudes a certain Japanese sobriety, offering a service that is active, open, yet distantly elegant.
Regarding the wine list, curated and well-defended by Silvia Tassi, it could be said that it is more complete than that of Uliassi, with more accessible and drinkable references. We opted for a Damian Podversich 2014, a Ribolla Gialla with skin maceration that we like so much, with bottle evolution, expressive, open, and enjoyable. A very good pairing for the entire menu. Nevertheless, we added a glass of a red wine from an unknown but very nearby designation of origin, Lacrima di Morro d’Alba, just 15 km inland from the restaurant. We drank a Joy 2018 from Tenuta di Fra’, a rather fresh and light red.
THE TUNNEL
He is a chef who I feel has more of a need to understand than to create. That is why he opened The Tunnel, a garage a couple of houses down from the restaurant, where he has set up his research and development laboratory which, according to him, aims to transmit the best of technology applied to cooking, creating new textures and perceptions, avoiding waste, preserving the environment, etc. Tirso Buttafuoco, a food technician from Palermo who works at The Tunnel on a daily basis, showed it to us very kindly. We were able to see the aging chambers with a whole amberjack (headless and gutted), croaker fillets for the charcuterie, and whole quails (headless and gutted). We also saw how they make their kombucha (at that time with the scoby), how they produce and flavor their gin with a vacuum distiller, how they make essences with an aroma extractor/evaporator/distiller with which they make their limoncello and an orange liqueur, and finally, how they have started to cultivate spirulina algae.
CONCLUSIONS
In summary, a meal with dishes that require years of study, research, and testing with products and techniques that need to be deeply understood. A menu with highs and lows, with good appetizers but starting the meal with too much bread (the scallop, the fish with king crab, and the toast) and fats (fried foods, burrata, flours with butter) for the refinement expected of a restaurant of this caliber, especially considering it was the peak of a hot August. With ups and downs also because the delicacy with which some products are treated contrasts with the lack of finesse in others. A menu with dishes featuring many ingredients, full of sauces, citruses, spices, and herbs, and combining textures and a wide variety of techniques. A well-rounded chef who seems to encompass everything. Ultimately, a chef who must be known if one wants to understand where the trends in fish have gone over the last 20 years.
Note: This restaurant was visited on Friday 18th August 2023.